Towel service apparatus



s, A. SCHWARTZ 1,902,588

TOWEL SERVICE APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 21, 1933.

6f 0 Z 6 54 2?; 1 PM. HI NH H 3 a 11 W j m J I H w I n F u n 5 m m. w u; mw u u T W/ a p 1 n w A a w n n W n 5-1 7 L. 6 1 1 n l 1 l||l|.| 1||l|1||| T 4 5 7 m March 21, 1933. s. A. SCHWARTZ TOWEL SERVICE APPARATUS- Filed April 28. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 21, 1933; s, A, SCHWARTZ TOWEL SERVICE APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet s Filed April 28, 1951 m M M 6. J6. 5071 max Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNITED. STATES SAMUEL A. SCHWARTZ, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA TOWEL SERYICE APPARATUS Application filed April 28,

This invention relates to towel-service apparatus, and it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this kind comprising means for supporting a roll of clean towcling, together with means for providing for substantial uniform unwinding of a predetermined length of toweling from the roll so that the major extent of a towel loop exposed for use does not materially varyand also wherein means are provided for winding up the soiled toweling in accordance with the amountof clean toweling drawnfrom the roll.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this kind wherein the construction and assembly of the parts are such to occupy a minimum of space assuring a compact structure which al lows the device to be used to advantage where 0 towel service isgenerally required.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind including a receptacle wherein is adapted to be placed a roll of clean toweling and wherein said receptacle is so mounted as to permit ready placement of the roll there-in.

It is also an object of the invention to pro. vide a device of this kind wherein means is provided to support a roll of clean toweling 0 together with a mechanism whereby the user may withdraw a predetermined length of clean toweling from time to time as may be required and also wherein the construction and assembly of the parts are such to effective- 1y prevent the soiled toweling at any time coming into contact with the clean toweling.

An additional object of the invention is to.

provide a device of this kind including in its construction what may be termed a check feed roller which assures an intermittent delivery of a predetermined length of clean toweling, together with a manuallyoperated mechanism for normally maintaining said check feed roller inoperative and at the same time providing means whereby the extent of delivery of the clean toweling is positively controlled when the said holding means is in release.

The invention consists in .the details of construction and in the combination and ar- 1931. serial No. 533,527.

rangement of the several parts of im} 1'; proved towel service apparatus whereby cer 'tain important advantages are attained and fully set forth. a i

a The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe 1: the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein p Figure 1 is a view in front elevation with portions in section of a towel service apparatus constructed'in accordance with an em- ,1, bodiment of my invention Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken through the structure as illustrated in Figure 1; i Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in side e-levation with portions in section and broken away illustrating the holding and limiting means for thecheck feed roller; I

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-41 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrow;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view with portions broken away illustrating certain details of the check and limiting means 8 as particularly illustrated in Figure 3 with certain of the parts in a second position from that illustrated in Figure 3; I

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 3;

V Figure 7 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 6 Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view with a portion in section illustrating the driving connection between two associated guide rollers.

As disclosed in the accompanying draw? ings, C denotes a cabinet .of any desiredde- V sign and dimensions as the occasionsof prac tice may require and which, as illustrated in 5 Figure 2, is provided in its upper part with a sliding drawer D in which may be placed a brush 1 and a comb 2 or any other toilet articles or accessories as may be called for in connection with the towel service.

The cabinet C may be mounted or rested upon a stand S or may be supported in desired placement in any manner which the requirements of practice may dictate. The cabinet C has the major portion ofv its front face open and which open portion is adapted to be normally closed by a conventional closure member or door M.

The upper portion of the cabinet G is adapted to receive and house a trough-like container T substantially semi-circular in cross section and which has its rear marginal portion continued by a depending plate or apron 3. This apron 3 is of material length and the end marginal portions of the plate orapron 3tog ether with the ends of the trough- V like container T are connected by the web 7 plates 4: whereby the container T and the plate or apron?) constitute a substantial and rigid structure. The lower portion of each of the web plates 4 in relatively close proX-' imity to the lower marginal portion of the plate or apron 3 is provided with an outstandingtr unnion 5 which is rotatably engaged with an adjacent upstanding side plate 6. i

The side plates Gare each carried by a base member 7 and said base member 7 together with the-plate 6 are adapted to be received and housed within'the cabinet C proper although, of course, the base member 7 and the side plate 6 provide a structure enabling the apparatus to be employed, if so desired, independently of the cabinet.

When the container T is raised it is substantially confined between the side plates 6 and, in the present embodiment of my invention, a part 8 of the cabinet C is provided I with'a pivoted latch 9 adapted to lap the forward wall of the container T to hold said container T in its raised or what may be termed working position. At this time it is to be stated that I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself as to any particular type of latch or holding means for the container T nor do I wish to limit myself to any particular location of such holding means for the container.

When the closure member or door M is opened, the latch or equivalent holding means can be readily released from the container T permitting said container to be swung forwarcl'ly and downwardly so that a. roll R of clean toweling may be readily placed within the container whereupon the loaded container is then swung back within the cabinet C or between the side plates 6 and locked or held in such position by the latch 9 or its equivalent. However, before the container T is swung back between the side plates 6 a free end portion of the toweling is drawn over the exposed or rear surface ofthe plate or apron 3 and to a conslderable extenttherebeyond so that the service man can initially thread or to provide the loop 10 which, as herein disclosed, depends from the cabinet C or the base member 7 and otherwise properly arrange the ends and in their rear portions rotatably support a pair of coacting feed rollers 11 and 12, the peripheral'surfaces of which being of rubber or other materials assuring an eifective gripping or frictional engagement with the toweling passing between said feed rollers.. In the initial application of the toweling such toweling is directed from the rear between the rollers 11 and 12. Each of the rollers 11 and 12 at its opposite ends is provided with trunnions 14 rotatably engaged with theadjacent plates 6. Each of the trun nions 14 of the uppermostroller 11', however, is received within an arcuate slot 15in a plate 6 so that said roller will constantly urge the toweling into close contact not only with itself but with the lower roller 12. i l

The rear margins of the side plates 6 are connected by a back plate 16 which terminates above the base member 7. The lower marginal portion of the back plate 16, however, has a downwardly and inwardly curved extension or apron 17 conforming to and s closely approaching the periphery of the up per roller 11. This extension or apron 17, however, is spaced sufficiently from the periphery of the roller 11 to ofier no hinderance or obstruction to the desired travel of the tion of the'extension or apron 17 terminates closely adjacent to the bight between therollers 11 and 12. p

7 As particularly illustrated in Figure 8, the rollers 11 and 12 are operatively connected for unitary rotation in a direction one .to.-,

ward the other by the gears 18 rotating with said rollers 11 and12. This gearing of the rollers 11 and 12 is of especial importance in the initial threading of the toweling there- 'between. a

The toweling after it passes over the lower roller 12 is directed through a rear slot 19in the bottom wall of the cabinet and rearwar ly of the base member 7. The towelin g is then inserted up through a second slot 20 adjacent iio to the front face oft-he cabinet C or beyond the forward edge of the base member 7 and s over a check feed roll 21rotatably supported by and between the side plates 6 at a point in advance of the upper feed roller 11 hereinbefore referred to.

The periphery of this roller 21 is ribbed or otherwise formed to assure an effective gripping or frictional contact of the "roller with thetoweling. One end portion of the roller 21 carries a gear 22 which meshes with an idle gear 23 rota-tably supported by the adjacent side plate 6. This idle gear 23 meshes with a gear 24 rotating with the feed roller 12 hereinbefore referred to. As is believed'to be obvious, interposing the idle gear '23 causes the rollers 12 and 21 to rotate in the same direction. It is also to be stated at this time that the rollers 12 and 21 rotate at the same peripheral speed. 7 7

Each of the trunnions 25 for the roller 21 provides a mounting for a swinging arm 26 which in turn is operatively engaged'with a trunnion 14 of the upper roller 11. Intermediate its ends each of the arms 26 has connected thereto a retractile member 27, herein disclosed as a coil spring, said member or spring 27 being also anchored to a clip 28 or the like carried by the base member 7. The action of each of the springs 27 is to constantly urge the roller 11 toward the roller 12, thus assuring at all'times the most effective gripping or frictional engagement of the rollers 11 and 12 with the clean portion of the toweling. This contact is further essential to assure the desired driving of the roller 21 as pull is imposed upon the rear stretch of the loop 10 to further withdraw a clean portion of the toweling and, of course,

to assure an equal length of-soiled toweling being wound upon the soiled roller 29.

Each end portion of the roller 29 is received within a downwardly disposed groove or channel 30, the upper portion of which being continued by a forwardly directed entrance groove or channel 31. The toweling on the soiled roller 29 is maintained by gravity in desired contact with the periphery of the roller 21, thus assuring the desired wind ing ofthe soiled toweling on the roller29.

Also rotating with gear 23 and secured thereto preferably inwardly thereof is a disk 32,'the periphery of which is concentric to its axis except for an outstanding stop 33. A laterally disposed lug 34 carried by a lever 35 is adapted to be engaged by the stop 33 whereby the roller 11 will be held agamst rotation as a result of pull upon the rear stretch of the loop 10. The lever 35, asparticularly illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, is pivotally supported, as at 36, at a desired point intermediate its ends by the adjacent plate 6. Rotating with the roller 12 inwardly of and preferably innnediatelyadjacent to the gear 24 is an outstanding cam 37 which is adapted for contact with the portion of the lever 35 to the side of its pivotal mounting remote from the lug 34 to swing the lug 34 into the path of travel of the stop 33. The location of the cam 37 is such as to allow the roller 12 to have a single revolution after the lug 34 has been moved into release position with respect to the stop 33.

When it is desired to obtain a clean loop of towelingthe lever 35 is swung upon its pivot 36 to release the lug 34 from the stop 33 as illustrated in Figure 5 so that upon pull being imposed upon the rear stretch of toweling in the loop 10 the desired clean length will be readily obtained and at the same time the soiled toweling will be wound upon the roller 29.

As herein disclosed, the means for effecting through the instrumentality of a coiled spring 40 surrounding the actuator bar within the casing 39 and interposed between a head flange 41-of the casing and an annular sleeve or collar 42 keyed or otherwise affixed to the actuator bar 38 for movement therewith.

The inner end of the actuator bar 38 is oppositely chamfered, as indicated at 43, and v a marginal edge-of an operating key is adapted to have contact with-either of the inclined surfaces provided by such chamfer whereupon upon requisite rotation of the key 44 byan operating handle 45 or the like the actuator bar 38 wil be projected to an extent suflicient to effect the desired release movement of the lug 34. The working portion of the key is substantially semi-circular in cross section although insofar as the particular construction of the key is concerned 01' even the, particular means for operating the actuator bar 38 it forms no particular part of the present invention. a,

The retracting movement of the actuator bar 38 is limited by contact of a block 46 with aninwardly disposed stop 47 carried by the casing 39. This block 46 is spaced a desired distance from the inner end of the bar 38 but connected thereto by the arms 48. .These arms 48 may be integrally connected to both the block 46 and the actuator barv 38.

vThe trunnions 5 hereinbefore referredto constitute extensions of a rod 49 bridging the space between the webs 4 associated with the Thisrod 49 provides a holdg receptacle T. ing means for the upper marginal portion of a guard pi ate 50, said rod 49 being directed throughabarrel 51 extending along said upper marginalportion of the plate 50. The

lower marginal portion ofthe plate 50 at (18". sired points therealong isprovidedwith outstanding feet 52 through each of which a holding screw 53. or the like is directed for thought to be: obvious that'a towel service apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention is particularlywell adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled-and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modificationwithout departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim I v i 1. A towel service apparatus comprising a supporting structure includingspaced supporting walls, a trough-like container having an apron depending from a side portion ihereof, said container being adapted to hold a rollof clean toweling, means coacting with the outer free end portion of the apron and the side walls for supporting the vcontainer for swinging movement, feed rollers supported by the side walls below the container when in working position, whereby toweling may pass over the apron and coact with the feed rollers to provide a towel loop, the apron providing means to prevent soiled toweling having contact with the clean toweling. a

2'. A towel service apparatus comprising a supporting structure including spaced. supporting walls, a trough-like container having an apron depending from a side portion thereof, said container being adapted to hold a roll of clean toweling, means coacting with the outer free end portion of the apron and the side walls for supporting the container for swinging movement, feed rollers supported by the side walls below the container when in working position, whereby toweling may pass over the apron and coact with the feed rollers to provide a towel loop, the apron providing means to prevent soiled toweling having contact with the clean toweling, and webs connecting the apron andthe container toprovide a rigid structure.

3. A towel service apparatus comprisig means for supportlng clean toweling, a first rotatable feed member for co-action'with the toweling, a second rotatable member, means connecting said two members for simultane- (SCI ous movement, a stop carried by one of said members, a third member, means supporting said third member for movement into and out of the path of travel of the stop to limit the extent of toweling drawn, means for moving said third member out of the path of travel of the stop to permit withdrawal of the toweling and means carried by that one of said first and second members not carrying said step for automatically returning said third member into the path of travel of the rotatable feed member for co-action with the toweling, a second rotatable member, means connecting saidfirst and second members for simultaneous movement as toweling is drawn from said apparatus, a stop carried by one supporting, said third memberfor movement into and out of the path of travel of the stop to limit the extent of toweling drawn, means for moving said member out of the path of said stop to permit withdrawal of the toweling and a cam carried by that one'of said first'and second members not carrying said stop for automatically returning said third 7 member into the path of travel of the stop after a predetermined extent of toweling has been withdrawn. I

5 A towel service apparatus comprising a casing, a trough for supporting clean toweling mounted in said casing and'having an apron depending from a side portion thereof, a feed roller mountedin said cabinet below said apron, soiled towel takeup means mounted in said casing in spaced relation from said feed roller and a plate projecting from the lower edge of said apron downwardly to the bottom of said casing between said feed roller and said takeup means.

'6. A -towelservice apparatus comprising a casing having a front opening, a troughlike container for supporting clean toweling 3 pivotally mounted in said casing for swinging movement through said front opening,

a feed roller mounted in said casing below,

joining'one side thereof, a pair of cooperata ing feed rollers located below said trough and a towel directing plate spaced from'said apron and having a curved lower portion projecting between said rollers and underlying a portion of one of said rollers for use in assisting in threading toweling between said two rollers. V

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.-

SAMUEL A. SCHWARTZ.

ofsaid two members, a third member, means 

